The prior art is already aware of turf thatchers which are moved over the ground and which have thatching members in the form of fingers extending into the turf for raking or scratching the turf and removing the thatch therein. These thatchers can be towed by a tractor or riding type of vehicle, and they are therefore commonly of a powered nature to be dragged over the turf in the thatching process.
In the present invention, the thatcher is arranged with a frame or support member which is moved in a forward and a rearward direction and which has a plurality of spring fingers which extend down to the ground for thatching or raking the ground in the forward direction of movement. The springs are actually arranged to be flexible in their extent down to the ground and thus to flex rearwardly in the forward movement of the thatcher, and the springs are arranged on a V-shaped type of frame which therefore provides for an end-to-end uniformity of drag or towing force in the frame. Still further, the present thatcher is arranged to have an automatically operative lift member, in the nature of a pawl, which is inoperative in the forward direction of thatcher movement but which automatically becomes operative to lift the spring fingers off the turf in the rearward direction of thatcher movement.
Accordingly, the present invention has for its primary object the accomplishment of the aforementioned and to do so with a functionally reliable thatcher which is of a minimum of parts and is therefore simplified in its construction but yet has the desirable feature of spring fingers serving as thatcher members and having the automatic lift member when the thatcher is moved in the rearward direction and thus protects the thatcher from any damage and also avoids any undesirable thatching action when the thatcher is being moved rearwardly.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a thatcher which is made of a minimum of parts and which is self-adjusting with respect to the penetration of the turf in the thatching mode and which is self-adjusting for any wear or mis-alignment of the thatching members or fingers. Still further, the thatcher of this invention is provided with an automatically-operative lift member, in the form of a pawl as shown herein, wherein the lift member is automatically operative when the thatcher is reversed, to thus protect the thatcher from contact with any undesirable surface, such as a pavement or sidewalk or the like. Still further, the thatcher of the present invention is arranged with parts which are readily and easily replaceable when fully worn or damaged, and the entire thatcher is of inexpensive parts which provide for efficient thatching and for the automatic lifting or dis-engagement of the thatcher from the turf when the thatcher is moved rearwardly.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings.